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Competition and Innovation in Organic Agriculture: The Case of California Strawberries
Competition and Innovation in Organic Agriculture: The Case of California Strawberries
상세정보
- 자료유형
- 학위논문 서양
- 최종처리일시
- 20260202103201
- ISBN
- 9798290615233
- DDC
- 630
- 저자명
- Raburn, Samuel.
- 서명/저자
- Competition and Innovation in Organic Agriculture: The Case of California Strawberries
- 발행사항
- [Sl] : University of California, Davis, 2025
- 발행사항
- Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2025
- 형태사항
- 60 p
- 주기사항
- Source: Dissertations Abstracts International, Volume: 87-01, Section: B.
- 주기사항
- Advisor: Goodhue, Rachael E.
- 학위논문주기
- Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, Davis, 2025.
- 초록/해제
- 요약This dissertation is comprised of two essays on the economics of California organic strawberries. Strawberries represent a $2.7 billion industry for California, where over 90 percent of U.S. strawberries are grown. Strawberries are consumed by 94 percent of Americans and constitute an average of 11.7 percent of household fruit expenditure. A growing market segment for agriculture, strawberries inclusive, is organic. Of total California production, organic strawberries represent 13 percent of strawberry acres, or 9 percent of total volume in 2023. Organic production is often more expensive and has lower yields than conventional production since the inputs allowed are more restrictive. Despite this, demand continues to grow for organic strawberries. These two essays tackle relevant policy issues pertaining to the competitiveness of organic strawberries and the innovation occurring in organic strawberry production. In Essay 1, I examine a production loophole that organic strawberry growers exploit to use conventional strawberry seedlings, rather than organic seedlings. The Commercial Availability Clause (CAC) loophole is currently being revisited by the USDA National Organic Program and may be tightened/closed in the future. Approximately 85 percent of organic strawberry acres in California are planted with conventional seedlings, since organic seedlings are often 2-to-3.5 times the cost of conventional seedlings. Assuming organic strawberry seedlings have a cost premium of $0.195 per plant, or 4.5 percent of the retail organic strawberry price per pound in 2021, I estimate industry production costs to increase by $20.1 million per year if the CAC were closed. Due to the higher price, the quantity of organic strawberries demanded is also expected to shrink by 8.1 percent. Although mandating the use of organic strawberry seedlings would improve product quality and consistency, consumers are largely unaware of this discrepancy, leading to welfare deterioration. In Essay 2, I analyze the economic viability of Anaerobic Soil Disinfection (ASD) using a non-replicated demonstration trial at an organic strawberry field in Oxnard, California. A growing literature indicates that ASD is an effective tool for organic growers to reduce soilborne pests, pathogens, and weeds. I use a partial budget analysis to compare the efficacy and economic viability of ASD between two carbon sources: rice bran and wheat midds. I find that the rice bran-treated plot earned approximately $11,600/acre in premiums over the commercial organic strawberry analogue and the wheat midds-treated plot earned approximately $38,300/acre over commercial. These results indicate that ASD may be a cost-effective tool for organic strawberry growers and that wheat midds may prove a more cost-effective carbon source than rice bran. These essays combine research across multiple fields to examine pressing challenges and prospects for the organic strawberry industry. From policy change to technology advancement, the tools used to grow organic strawberries are constantly evolving. My findings here present a lens into the plethora of issues facing organic strawberry producers in California.
- 일반주제명
- Agronomy
- 일반주제명
- Agriculture
- 일반주제명
- Plant sciences
- 일반주제명
- Soil sciences
- 키워드
- Strawberries
- 키워드
- California
- 기타저자
- University of California, Davis Agricultural and Resource Economics
- 기본자료저록
- Dissertations Abstracts International. 87-01B.
- 전자적 위치 및 접속
- 로그인 후 원문을 볼 수 있습니다.
MARC
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■006m o d
■007cr#unu||||||||
■020 ▼a9798290615233
■035 ▼a(MiAaPQ)AAI31999130
■040 ▼aMiAaPQ▼cMiAaPQ
■0820 ▼a630
■1001 ▼aRaburn, Samuel.
■24510▼aCompetition and Innovation in Organic Agriculture: The Case of California Strawberries
■260 ▼a[Sl]▼bUniversity of California, Davis▼c2025
■260 1▼aAnn Arbor▼bProQuest Dissertations & Theses▼c2025
■300 ▼a60 p
■500 ▼aSource: Dissertations Abstracts International, Volume: 87-01, Section: B.
■500 ▼aAdvisor: Goodhue, Rachael E.
■5021 ▼aThesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, Davis, 2025.
■520 ▼aThis dissertation is comprised of two essays on the economics of California organic strawberries. Strawberries represent a $2.7 billion industry for California, where over 90 percent of U.S. strawberries are grown. Strawberries are consumed by 94 percent of Americans and constitute an average of 11.7 percent of household fruit expenditure. A growing market segment for agriculture, strawberries inclusive, is organic. Of total California production, organic strawberries represent 13 percent of strawberry acres, or 9 percent of total volume in 2023. Organic production is often more expensive and has lower yields than conventional production since the inputs allowed are more restrictive. Despite this, demand continues to grow for organic strawberries. These two essays tackle relevant policy issues pertaining to the competitiveness of organic strawberries and the innovation occurring in organic strawberry production. In Essay 1, I examine a production loophole that organic strawberry growers exploit to use conventional strawberry seedlings, rather than organic seedlings. The Commercial Availability Clause (CAC) loophole is currently being revisited by the USDA National Organic Program and may be tightened/closed in the future. Approximately 85 percent of organic strawberry acres in California are planted with conventional seedlings, since organic seedlings are often 2-to-3.5 times the cost of conventional seedlings. Assuming organic strawberry seedlings have a cost premium of $0.195 per plant, or 4.5 percent of the retail organic strawberry price per pound in 2021, I estimate industry production costs to increase by $20.1 million per year if the CAC were closed. Due to the higher price, the quantity of organic strawberries demanded is also expected to shrink by 8.1 percent. Although mandating the use of organic strawberry seedlings would improve product quality and consistency, consumers are largely unaware of this discrepancy, leading to welfare deterioration. In Essay 2, I analyze the economic viability of Anaerobic Soil Disinfection (ASD) using a non-replicated demonstration trial at an organic strawberry field in Oxnard, California. A growing literature indicates that ASD is an effective tool for organic growers to reduce soilborne pests, pathogens, and weeds. I use a partial budget analysis to compare the efficacy and economic viability of ASD between two carbon sources: rice bran and wheat midds. I find that the rice bran-treated plot earned approximately $11,600/acre in premiums over the commercial organic strawberry analogue and the wheat midds-treated plot earned approximately $38,300/acre over commercial. These results indicate that ASD may be a cost-effective tool for organic strawberry growers and that wheat midds may prove a more cost-effective carbon source than rice bran. These essays combine research across multiple fields to examine pressing challenges and prospects for the organic strawberry industry. From policy change to technology advancement, the tools used to grow organic strawberries are constantly evolving. My findings here present a lens into the plethora of issues facing organic strawberry producers in California.
■590 ▼aSchool code: 0029.
■650 4▼aAgronomy
■650 4▼aAgriculture
■650 4▼aPlant sciences
■650 4▼aSoil sciences
■653 ▼aOrganic agriculture
■653 ▼aStrawberries
■653 ▼aCalifornia
■653 ▼aOrganic production
■653 ▼aAnaerobic Soil Disinfection
■690 ▼a0503
■690 ▼a0479
■690 ▼a0481
■690 ▼a0473
■690 ▼a0285
■71020▼aUniversity of California, Davis▼bAgricultural and Resource Economics.
■7730 ▼tDissertations Abstracts International▼g87-01B.
■790 ▼a0029
■791 ▼aPh.D.
■792 ▼a2025
■793 ▼aEnglish
■85640▼uhttp://www.riss.kr/pdu/ddodLink.do?id=T17357285▼nKERIS▼z이 자료의 원문은 한국교육학술정보원에서 제공합니다.


